Elected June 14 as bishop of the Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod, Kristen Papson believes good leadership means creating space for a variety of viewpoints.
Papson, who has served as pastor of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Erie, Pa., since 2015 and Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Erie since 2024, shared with Living Lutheran about how creating a safe space, built on trust, leaves room for more challenging conversations about the church’s future. She will take office on Sept. 1 and be installed on Oct. 19 at Good Hope Lutheran Church, Oil City, Pa.
Living Lutheran: What do you see as the biggest priorities for the synod?
Papson: The priorities that I see for the Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod are building trust and having some intentional conversations about being church in a new way. As in many places, we have a fair number of open congregations and not as many clergy available to serve. We need to be seeking nontraditional routes to serve these churches and finding solutions that involve collaboration and cooperation.
I look forward to walking alongside the ministries and communities of this synod to find creative ways to share the gospel and build community in these challenging times.
How did you feel when you were elected?
I will admit to feeling very shocked. I also felt humbled by the trust that the voting members of the assembly had in me and extremely grateful that they saw in me the gifts to serve in this new way. The enormity of this call was overwhelming, but I also felt at peace because I believe the Holy Spirit was at work to equip and encourage me during that process.
What have you learned in your ministry that you might incorporate into your approach to leading the synod?
One of my strengths in parish ministry has been pastoral care. In my current call, we went through a period of heavy loss, and I learned early on the importance of showing up and being present. I shared this with the assembly during my speech: I truly believe that if we have trust and strong relationships, we are more able to have challenging and fruitful conversations about what the future of the church looks like.
I also strive to lift up everyone’s voices, being very diligent in listening and inviting conversation from many different viewpoints. I am not a perfect person, and I don’t have all the answers; I firmly believe we are stronger when we think creatively together and listen to one another and to the Holy Spirit’s calling.
